S. Florida fortune teller accused of $838K fraud

POMPANO BEACH — A South Florida fortune teller was arrested Saturday in Pompano Beach on an out-of-state felony warrant for allegedly defrauding a California woman.

Peaches Miller, also known as Shanna Young, 33, was arrested by the Broward Sheriff's Office and charged with grand theft and extortion of property.

The Broward Sheriff's Office was unavailable to comment on the arrest of Miller, who was held without bond in the Paul Rein Detention Facility, Sunday evening.

Bob Nygaard, a Boca Raton-based private investigator hired by Miller's client, said in an email that Miller conned a California woman into believing that the victim and her family were being plagued by evil spirits as a result of black magic and voodoo and that people wanted to kill the victim.

As a result, the victim was conned into giving Miller large sums of money to buy gold and silver materials such as mirrors and tabernacles to counteract the evil, said Nygaard. According to the private investigator, Miller defrauded the woman of more than $838,000 over the course of approximately nine years.

Miller advertised herself as a psychic and spiritual healer, said Nygaard.

" 'Peaches T. Miller' claimed to be doing 'God's Work' and she conned the victim into believing that she was the only one who could protect the victim and her family from harm," said Nygaard.

He also said that Miller assured the victim many times that all of her money would be returned but that "Miller never kept her promise."

Nygaard said the case is being investigated by the Santa Clara District Attorney's Office in California.

According to Nygaard, Miller is known to operate her alleged fortune telling business in Florida, California and New York.